Not many days after Mrs. Simpson was confined, Mr. Simpson himself was taken ill, and complained of a hectic cough, accompanied with a slow fever, which, daily increasing, at length brought him to the house appointed for all living. But he was not unprepared for the event. All his affairs had been settled and wound up by the predisposition of a gracious Providence. The paralytic affections, with which he had been for some time afflicted, now returned so frequently, and had so much impaired his health, that, as he himself expressed it, his work as a minister appeared to be done. As a writer, he had just finished his last intended publication. He had brought to a close the numerous executorships in which he had been engaged, with only one exception of inconsiderable moment. His wife and younger daughter had been just removed to a better world; his elder daughter had shortly before been married; and his son was happily fixed in a situation very congenial to his wishes.

But, in other respects, his situation was affecting in the extreme. Mrs. Simpson lay in the helpless and dangerous condition we have described, in an adjoining room, while he was unable to afford her the least consolation by his presence. He had, nevertheless, the satisfaction of hearing, that as she approached her last hour, her confidence in God increased; and, finally, that she closed an useful and exemplary life, rejoicing in the God of her salvation. At this painful juncture, he felt acutely; but his expressions evidenced the most perfect submission to the will of God. The religion which he had so many years zealously and successfully propagated, was his support. He said, "All is well.-All will be well. These dispensations of God are right and just. I have every reason to praise him." After he had taken finally to his bed, he was quite calm and happy, excepting that now and then he discovered some anxiety for Mrs. Simpson. "God," said he, "is going to close up the scene at once, and end our lives and our labours together. It is an awful providence, but it is the will of God."

1

On Saturday the 16th, on being asked how he was, he replied, "very poorly." A hope being expressed that he would get better, he said, "No, I shall never get better in this life. I have no desire to come back to life. Our work is done.We leave the great scene of things now passing in the world to you. Why should I wish to live?" That excellent hymn, which has so often brought comfort to the afflicted, was then read to him:

"Jesus, lover of my soul,
Let me to thy bosom fly," &c.

when he appeared much affected with the verse beginning, "Other refuge have I none," &c. and said, it was very true of himself, and that he was a poor creature. The next day he desired a friend to read to him, saying, "I want some comfortable portion from the blessed scriptures; all human supports now fail me. Read some comfortable portion." That text was then repeated to him, "When my flesh and my heart fail me, God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever." He said "That, and other comfortable passages, frequently occur to my mind, and support me." He afterwards said, "I consider all my eternal concerns as settled. All my dependence rests upon the great atonement. I have committed all my concerns into the hands of my Redeemer." He then called to the person who attended him: "Peter," said he, "tell the people I am not dying as a man without hope;" and expressed his strong assurance of the happiness, that awaited him, and a desire to depart. In the evening he said, "This is a very serious dispensation. It appears severe, very severe; first the shepherdess is taken away, and then the shepherd, and both as by one stroke. But I am per fectly satisfied respecting it; and I know that this light afflic tion, which is but for a moment, shall work out for me a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory."

His fever continued to increase, and his recovery became extremely doubtful. Every one but himself was, beyond expression, anxious for his life. Prayer meetings were appointed, and numerously attended. Many strong cries and tears were offered up; but the decree was gone forth. The sup plications of the flock could not prevail for the recovery of the pastor. The approach of an enemy, which every one around him dreaded, he hailed with composure and joy. One day, after a severe fit of coughing, he said to his attendant, "The way seems hard, but it is the way the children of God all go; and I do not wish to be exempted from it. I know that my Redeemer liveth. I feel him precious. He supports me under all. O that I was able to express all I feel." The doctor coming in soon afterwards, asked him, how he was? He replied, "partly here, and partly elsewhere." Another day he said to the person who attended him, "How awful a thing it is for a man to be brought to his dying bed, and to have no hope beyond the grave. It is truly awful-but, blessed be God, this is not my case."

On Tuesday morning, March 19th, he gave his most affectionate blessing to his son. "I hope," said he," the Lord will bless you when I am gone. I trust he will; and I commend you to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, aud to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified. The Lord bless you-the Lord bless you."

As his strength declined a pace, he was soon unfit to see any of his friends but his immediate attendants, who had now given up all hope of his recovery. The violence of the fever acting on his enfeebled system, had left only the ruins of what he had been, but they were the ruins of a noble mind. He spoke much of the glories of heaven, and the happiness of separate spirits; of their robes of righte ousness, and their palms of victory; then, breathing his ardent wishes for the happiness of all who were present, he added, "Pardon, peace, and everlasting felicity,are desirable things." At length the thread of life was spun out, and, after a day of apparent suffering, on Saturday, the 24th of March, 1799, he fell asleep in Jesus, a little after midnight, and spent his sabbath in the regions of bliss. Thus, after an active and laborious life, of which twenty-six years were spent in the town of Macclesfield, this eminent servant of Christ finished his course, and went to receive his reward. In the new church at Macclesfield, is a very handsome monument erected, with an inscription as follows:

Sacred to the memory

Of the Rev. DAVID SIMPSON, M. A.

The first minister of this church,

Who, after 26 years of laborious and uninterrupted service,
Departed this life, March 24, 1799, aged 54.
As a preacher of the gospel,

He was zealous, faithful, and affectionate;
A pattern of good works in his life;
Pure and incorrupt in his doctrine;
A friend to the poor and distressed;
A comforter of the sick and afflicted;
A father to the orphans;
A husband to the widow;
And, in his unusual charity,
The good Samaritan.

This monument was erected by an affectionate people, in grateful acknowledgment of the benefits they received from his ministry.

ON THE DIVINE APPEARANCES DURING THE OLD TESTAMENT

DISPENSATION.

The condescension of God is manifested in all his conduct towards his creatures. It is displayed in creation, in the support of creation, and in the employment of creatures to execute his will. It is exhibited in the universal care of his

pro

vidence, and in the rich and liberal manner in which he sup plies the wants of every living thing. It is still more discovered in the revelation of his character and will to sinners, and in the manner in which that revelation has been progressively made. By dreams, and visions, and audible voices, he, at different times, communicated detached portions of the great plan of mercy. Each of these modes of revelation was : suited to particular circumstances, and intended to answer certain ends. But it was not in these ways alone that the God of glory spake unto the fathers. On various occasions, he assumed a visible form, and under the appearance of a man or angel, became the messenger of his own will. It is on these visible appearances of God during the early part of the Old Testament dispensation, that I mean to offer some remarks.

As it would be impossible, in the bounds of a short essay, to notice all the appearances which are recorded in the Old. Testament, I shall confine myself to those mentioned in the book of Genesis. It will be the less necessary to extend our : investigation farther, since what may be said concerning those we shall consider, will equally apply to the other appearances recorded in scripture. What I shall attempt, then to establish and illustrate, is simply this: That the word who in the fulness of time was made flesh, frequently manifested himself to his ancient people in the form of a man or angel. In pursuance of this design, I shall first notice, the several appearances in their order, I shall next make some general observations suggested by the whole, I shall then endeavour to obviate some difficulties that may be conceived to attach either to the subject in general, or to our views of it in particular; and conclude with mentioning some reasons that may account for God's appearing in this manner, at that time.

The first account of an appearance of this nature is contained in the 16th chap. of Genesis. We are told that an angel of the Lord appeared to Hagar the servant of Sarai by a fountain in the wilderness of Shur. Let us consider, whether the particulars mentioned concerning this angel are at all applicable to any created intelligence. 1st, He promises to perform what only God could do, and foretels what. God alone could know. "I will multiply thy seed exceeding. ly," and the child that she should bear he informs her, "would be a wild man, his hand would be against every man, and every man's hand against him; yet, should he dwell in the presence of all his brethren." Who has multiplied the posterity of Ishmael as the sand of the sea? Who has given the wandering disposition to the Arab? Who has preserved this people in a country where all others would perish? By whom have these predatory hordes been protected from age to age against all the attempts that have been made to annihilate them? Is

the answer God? Then it was God that found Hagar in the wilderness of Shur.

2d, Hagar applied divine names to him that appeared to her, and seemingly paid him divine worship. She called the name, (not of the angel), but of Jehovah that spake to her, "Thou God seest me." The name which the well received, and which it retained to the time of Moses, was calculated to cherish and preserve the belief of a divine appearance to Hagar, Beer-la-hai-roi. The well of the living one, who seeth me. If it is peculiar to the supreme Being to be called Jehovah-if holy angels spurned at religious worship when offered to them-if God alone is the living One whose all-seeing eye penetrates the desert, as well as the hearts of men-it was Jehovah that manifested himself to the fugitive servant of Sarah. Bishop Patrick objects to this, because he speaks in the third person, "The Lord hath heard thy affliction." But it is a very common thing in Scripture for the first person to use the style of the third when he means himself. Besides, the words may be rendered in the future instead of the past tense. Bate considers them as referring to her future submission to her mistress, and translates them thus: "Thou shalt call his name Jehovah, for the Lord will hearken to thy submission," viz. to Sarah.. In confirmation of this, it may be observed, that the word is the same that is >rendered, submit, in the one verse, and affliction, in the other. In this view of the matter the performance of the promises was suspended on her obeying the command of God, "Return to thy mistress and submit thyself under her hands." In the 17th of Genesis, is a relation of another visible appearance of God. Whether in the form of a man or angel, we cannot tell. But that it was a manifestation of God seems

plain,

1st, From it being said, The bram, v. 1.

LORD appeared to A

Abram conducted him

2d, From the manner in which self. "He fell on his face," a posture of reverence and adoration.

3d, From the conversation which was carried on for a considerable time between God and Abram.

And,

4th, From the conclusion of the account," And he left off talking with Abram, and GoD went up from Abram, v. 22." We need not hesitate a moment in drawing our conclusion from this narrative. The author of the everlasting covenant could be no other than the everlasting God.

In the 18th of Genesis, we have a remarkable account of three men who appeared to Abraham in the plains of Mamre. On this chapter, "the following observations are submitted.

1st, Moses the author of the history, represents it as an VOL. II. No. 3.

M